Al-Jazeera's citizen media service Sharek received about 1,000 cameraphone videos during the Egyptian uprising against Hosni Mubarak. Riyaad Minty, its head of social media, said: "Post Egypt, in places like Libya, Yemen and Syria, citizens posting online have been the primary lens through which people have been able to see what is happening on the ground. "Now our main stories are driven by images captured by citizens on the street, it's no longer just a supporting image. In most cases citizens capture the breaking news moments first. The Arab spring was really the tipping point when it all came together."

Al-Jazeera's citizen media service Sharek received about 1,000 cameraphone videos during the Egyptian uprising against Hosni Mubarak. Riyaad Minty, its head of social media, said: "Post Egypt, in places like Libya, Yemen and Syria, citizens posting online have been the primary lens through which people have been able to see what is happening on the ground. "Now our main stories are driven by images captured by citizens on the street, it's no longer just a supporting image. In most cases citizens capture the breaking news moments first. The Arab spring was really the tipping point when it all came together."